What Was Seen
by LemonDropAnyone
Summary: Ron sees what he can't be.


_What Was Seen_

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I only own the plot.**

**Setting: Christmas in 6th Year, Spring in 6th year, Around Halloween in 7th Year, 2 Years After Graduation**

_**-Christmas Day, 1996. Number 12 Grimmauld Place.-**_

He guessed he never really took the time to observe his two best friends together; the way they acted around each other, their facial expressions, or their conversation. He guessed he never really realized what everyone around them did...

Ron sat on the couch in Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He had a glass of eggnog in his hand, and was wearing his usual sweater that his mother knitted him. His two best friends sat across from him on the floor, leaning against the back of a couch that held his sister and older brother Charlie. It was Christmas Day, and they were all gathered around the room to open their presents.

After Ginny finished opening her present from Bill and Fleur, Harry took one of his presents from his pile and opened it. It was from Hermione. Ron watched Harry's face. His best mate turned to look at Hermione, his eyes slightly wide and somber. He smiled gently before wrapping her into a hug. Ron looked to see what she had gotten him; a photo album full of pictures of him and Sirius, along with others of herself and Harry, Ron and Harry, and other various Weasley's along with Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore, and others.

Ron heard him whisper thank you in her ear, and Hermione whisper her reply. He noticed something about the two when they let go of each other; something that he couldn't put his finger on seemed to blaze around them. The turn passed to Ron, and he took a present off the top of his pile. It was an authentic Chudley Cannons robe set from Harry. He grinned.

"Thanks mate," he said. Harry gave his famous lopsided grin in return.

"No problem," he replied, his voice low and somewhat gruff, though happy. Next in turn, Hermione picked up a present, which turned out to be from Harry. She pulled two things out from the package; one a book and one a small box of some sort. She looked at the book and rolled her eyes.

"You're a witty one Potter," she remarked. Harry smirked.

"I thought so," he replied. Ron read the book cover out loud; _How to Love Yourself by Loving Me_ by Gilderoy Lockhart. Laughter rang throughout the room, and even he chuckled.

"Look at the other one," Harry said. Hermione took the box in hand and opened it, immediately breaking into a soft smile. Her eyes shined with happiness as she took a pure silver bracelet out of the box. Harry whispered something in her ear and put it on her wrist gently. Hermione hugged him while Harry kissed the top of her head and returned her embrace. Everyone around them, Ron noticed, smiled. They knew something that the three of them hadn't seen yet.

But it was then that he saw what the others had seen long ago. Finally he saw what he hadn't, and what they hadn't for years. He finally understood...

_**-Four months later, April 6, 1996. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.-**_

Ron had watched, along with others that he had known. Although he didn't realize that he wasn't the only one observing, he knew _he_ was. His observation: his two best friends.

It was early Spring at Hogwarts. The flowers and trees had started to bloom again. Slight rain showers occurred maybe twice a week, making the grass and such grow to a beautiful green. The lake for the most part had unfroze, but part of it was slightly icy still. The weather was still cool, but was warm enough to just need a jacket.

He had noticed that his two best friends took walks outside. Not only did they take the walks, they took them together. Sometimes he would accompany them on them, other times he wouldn't. He would stay in the warmth of the Common Room, observing them from the large bay window that looked out over the grounds. Normally, they would walk around the lake, and other times, but not often, they would walk to the large birch tree a little ways from the shore of the lake and talk.

He noticed that these walks and talks helped Harry. After the death of Sirius, he had been a wreck. But, he noticed, Hermione was there to build him back up again. True, he himself had helped his best mate out. That's what best mates do after all, help each other when they need it, but Hermione was the main reason that Harry hadn't been admitted into St. Mungos from guilt and depression. That thought had gone through Ron's mind plenty of times in the past nine months.

On that particular Saturday morning, he hadn't went with Harry and Hermione. It was chilly out, and that was one of the reasons, but the other ninety percent of his declination to walk with them was simply because he had taken to observing them together, and analyze his feelings about Hermione, and about the possibility of his two best friends getting together.

Yes, he had come to the conclusion that his best friends got along great together. Sometimes it was creepy really. They could communicate without talking, just with a look or a simple gesture. Other times they just knew what the other would say, or was thinking, without verbalizing it. They made an excellent team, for when they were partnered in classes and such, absolutely no one could beat them. They knew what the other was feeling, when they were feeling it, and why. _It really is creepy_ he thought to himself.

And yes, he had definitely noticed the looks others gave the two when they were together. Granted, _they_ didn't notice it, but he had. For instance, the previous month in an Order meeting (yes, the three of them were in the Order), McGonagall, who was usually so composed and reserved had actually rolled her eyes before saying that it was so obvious, that if it were to be a snake, it would've bit them by now. That remark caused chuckles from quite a few people, and confused by beet red faces from Harry and Hermione. And all they had done was finish each others sentences, and thought up a whole new battle plan by themselves.

"What?" was the remark from Harry, and, _"Honestly_," was the Hermione's reply to the subject, along with an eye roll.

Another thing he had thought of was his feelings for Hermione. Yes, he admitted he had had feelings for her since third year. He still didn't know if they had completely gone away yet. He still got that feeling in his stomach when she entered the room, or when she would laugh at something someone had said. But then he went to thinking...it was always the two of them together.

In first year, he had been taken out by the chess set. Harry and Hermione went on to the next challenge together.

Second year, Harry was the one who figured out Hermione's clue about the pipes.

Third year, it was Harry and Hermione who went back in time to save Sirius and Buckbeak.

Fourth year, it was Hermione who stuck by Harry when all the rumors were going around. She had never doubted him...

Fifth year, their row in the Common Room on whether or not to check on Sirius. They never fought. But each word from the other, they got closer and closer together until he had thought they had to be at least three centimeters away. Harry finally listened to her. _In _the Department of Mysteries, it was Harry and Hermione who teamed up with each other to take down the Death Eaters in the Hall of Prophecy's.

This year, Hermione had built Harry back up again from his fall after Sirius. Hermione had been there for everything. She withstood his temper and his depression. She helped him through it.

What more was it going to take for them to see it? He certainly had...and he was the one with the emotional range of a teaspoon.

_**-Mid-Fall, 7th Year. Gryffindor Common Room.-**_

****They still hadn't seen it. Over the past year, Ron had begun to understand the two, and their relationship better. He had come to accept the fact that it was a relationship he could never have with her. It was hard for him to let her go, but he knew he had to, and he knew why.

It was early evening, but after dinner. Ron sat on one of the couches in the Common Room. Hermione sat in her favorite chair by the fire reading _Hogwarts: A History_, for the, what he was sure, one millionth time. And Harry...he sat in his chair, staring into the fire with a glazed look on his face. Ron was sure, he was thinking about what was to come, and what had happened. The past year had gotten worse every day. More deaths happened, along with more disappearances. Many families had gotten attacked, and not to many of the survived. It seemed that even though Hogwarts was the only place that was relatively safe, parents hadn't wanted their kids there. They wanted them with them; to make sure and know they were okay for then.

It had changed them all. Yes, they all had definitely changed physically over the past two years. Harry had finally hit a growth spurt, and was as tall as Ron, standing at six feet four inches. His body had become more muscled, giving him a swift and refined yet powerful look. His eyes had gotten a bit darker than normal, although he no longer wore glasses. His hair was still the same, although he had started to grow a light beard on his chin. That appearance had gotten him the number one spot in _Teen Witch Weekly's Hottest 21 Under 21. _Hermione...she was still has beautiful as ever. She had gotten taller, making her around five feet eight inches. She was slim, just as she always had been, but her body was more toned than it ever had been. Her hair wasn't bushy, but slightly wavy, and her eyes and smile were the same...gorgeous. Yes, he had changed too...but not too much on the physical side.

No, it was an emotional change. The maturity was not what you expected from a group of seventeen year olds. It was more like what you expected from someone experienced, and older. They had all seen more than they ever needed to see, although Harry had seen more than he and Hermione put together. Their magical levels were totally unexpected from kids still in school. It was easily said that Harry was as good as Dumbledore, possibly even more so as he was so much younger.

The portrait opened. Neither Harry nor Hermione looked up to see who it was, but Ron did. Remus had come into the Common Room. His look on his face made Ron frown; his eyes were somber, and he looked like he wanted to cry.

"Harry," he said softly. Harry snapped out of his trance and looked at Remus. He stood up gracefully and walked over to him. The two of them began talking in low voices. Ron saw Harry nod as he turned and went up the boys' staircase, and come back down a few minutes later. Hermione had finally looked up from her book, and she noticed Harry standing with Remus.

"Where're you going?" she asked with a yawn. Harry sighed and looked at her, his face telling her everything. Her face fell and tears welled up in her eyes. Ron raised his eyebrows; there it was again, the whole "just one look is all it takes" thing.

"You can't be," she whispered. Harry nodded as he walked over to her. He bent down and gave her a hug, pulling her head to his chest. Hermione's arms appeared around Harry's waist and he whispered something in her ear. She nodded and let go of him, but he bent down and kissed her cheek. Ron watched Harry as he looked at Hermione. His best mate clenched his jaw, willing himself not to cry. Ron finally understood. Harry looked over to him and smiled weakly. Ron returned the same look.

"See you mate," Harry said softly. Ron nodded; the feeling that he was going to be sick overcoming his ability to talk for the moment. Harry was going to fight; it was time. He knew his best mate could loose his life in the while he was gone.

"See you," he said hoarsely. Harry followed Remus out of the portrait, saying goodbye to Ginny as she entered the Common.

"Bye Harry," she replied, although she didn't know why. She looked to Hermione, who was crying silently, and to Ron who was as pale as a ghost. Realization dawned on her and tears made their way from her eyes down her cheeks as she walked over to the couch. The three of them set there the rest of the night silently.

_**-Two years later, September 19, 1999. Number 12 Grimmauld Place.-**_

Everyone who wasn't fighting in the war sat in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. It felt empty without everyone there. Remus, Tonks, Harry, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Dumbledore among others had gone off to the war. They saw a few of them briefly from the time they left up until then. Arthur, Molly, Hermione and her parents, Ron and Ginny were told to stay there. No one wanted them to get hurt in any way. It was the last thing the others had asked before they left.

The past two years had been hell. Deaths were everywhere. There were so many people dieing that there had to be mass burials performed. Most of the wizarding world that they had knew had been destroyed from the fighting and such.

The door opened, and a chilly draft of autumn air came into the kitchen, followed by eight bodies. Seven pairs of eyes met eight as people walked further into the kitchen. Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George had just walked in. Their clothes were tattered and dirty; dried blood and dirt were on them. No one cared though, as they all met in hugs. Tearful hellos were exchanged. A pair of hazel eyes scanned everyone who had just returned, not seeing who she was looking for.

"Guys, where is Harry?" she asked. They all went quiet. Tears welled up in Remus' eyes, as did everyone else who had just came home, even Dumbledore. Her old headmaster walked forward and put a hand on her shoulders.

"Miss. Granger...Hermione," he started. She looked up at him and he sighed. "We saw Harry...he's..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. Her face fell and tears welled up in the tall brunette's eyes. She looked Dumbledore in the eyes.

"Is he?" she asked. The old professor nodded. The tears that were threatening to spill flew down her cheeks like rivers. She took a deep breath and sat down at the table. Everyone watched her as her heart broke, and so did theirs because there wasn't anything they could do about it. The door opened again, and they all turned around. Harry's tall, strong figure stood in the doorway. His clothes, like the others', were tattered and had dried bloody and dirt on them. Cuts and bruises were all over his face and arms, and some cuts were still bleeding. Her eyes met his and they both went towards each other.

"Don't ever do that to me again," Hermione's muffled voice sounded from Harry's chest. They could see the tears on the young man's face as he embraced Hermione. For a while, they didn't let go of each other. And when they did...they finally knew. No words needed to exchanged.

It was then that Ron knew that they finally knew. He smiled, albeit somewhat sadly, as did everyone else. Harry was greeted just as the others had been. But as that all happened, Ron did his new favorite thing...he observed. They finally knew...and he finally let her go.

-FIN-

Hey-

Well, I totally revamped it, and I changed the title. It used to be _What They Didn't See, But What He Finally Did_. I added scenes, and other things to the story. Leave me a review and tell me how it was. It actually made me cry at the end. -lol-

-LemonDropAnyone-


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